In today’s blog, Helen interviews Dr Natasha Salifyanji Kaoma, an influential young female doctor in Zambia. Read the interview transcript below to find out what they discussed. 

Helen: It is a pleasure to talk to you as always. Please can you tell our readers about yourself, your work, where you get your motivation from and your ambitions.

Natasha: Good to talk to you again, too. Well, just like the cliché, I always wanted to be a doctor. I come from modest circumstances, but that helped me value my education. I worked hard at school to get good grades and my parents were always supportive of me. My dad used to bring me articles from the papers with inspiring stories of different people – I guess that is where I got my motivation from. I never had any thoughts beyond being a doctor though until I started at med school. When I was there, I felt I could start making an impact. I used to see young people around me, girls and women, who didn’t have access to basic things like sanitary protection. I decided to do something about it.

Faith, myself and another friend decided to set up Copper Rose. We named it Copper Rose because we wanted girls and women to be valued as highly as copper is in Zambia. Our vision is a world where every young person and woman is happy, healthy and living to their full potential.

I am now a qualified doctor, doing my residency. I will be 27 this year.

Helen: You have accomplished so much at still such a young age! What achievements do you feel most proud of?

Natasha: Well, initially, and of course still, I love to see the smile on a girl’s face when we give them three months of sanitary protection so that they don’t have to worry about it during that time. It is often those really small things that make me feel proud and make my work seem worthwhile.

I have been lucky and now get to live a somewhat privileged life. I have been honoured by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, and have met Prince Harry more than once! These are moments, of course, I will always treasure.

But increasingly, I am really proud that I have created employment for young women through Copper Rose. Employment is the ultimate way that we can empower young women and give them a sense of purpose to their lives. We have a central team of five plus we have trainers around the country.

Helen: It is interesting how goals change as organisations develop. I know you are ambitious to achieve much more. Can you outline your goals?

Natasha: My short-term ambition for Copper Rose is to help 1 million girls and women in Zambia by 2021. This is in areas of sexual and reproductive health service delivery, menstrual hygiene, leadership/mentorship and economic empowerment. For me personally, I want to study for a Master’s degree in the UK in an area of global health policy or epidemiology – or maybe for two Master’s degrees. I think it is important for me to keep learning about these areas so that I can help more people in more ways.

I have been lucky and now get to live a somewhat privileged life. I have been honoured by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, and have met Prince Harry more than once! These are moments, of course, I will always treasure.

But increasingly, I am really proud that I have created employment for young women through Copper Rose. Employment is the ultimate way that we can empower young women and give them a sense of purpose to their lives. We have a central team of five plus we have trainers around the country.

Helen: It is interesting how goals change as organisations develop. I know you are ambitious to achieve much more. Can you outline your goals?

Natasha: My short-term ambition for Copper Rose is to help 1 million girls and women in Zambia by 2021. This is in areas of sexual and reproductive health service delivery, menstrual hygiene, leadership/mentorship and economic empowerment. For me personally, I want to study for a Master’s degree in the UK in an area of global health policy or epidemiology – or maybe for two Master’s degrees. I think it is important for me to keep learning about these areas so that I can help more people in more ways.

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